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New Shoreham council holds public budget hearing; staff outline public works priorities and one‑time projects
Summary
During an April 2 work session the council opened a public hearing on the FY26 budget, heard staff briefings on public‑works lines including Thomas property maintenance, a proposed sidewalk snow‑clearing machine, landfill slope funding, mansion beach bathrooms and abandoned vessel issues, then adjourned the hearing.
The Town of New Shoreham council opened a public hearing on the proposed FY26 budget and reviewed a number of public works and capital‑maintenance items during its April 2 work session.
Mona (Finance/Public Works staff) summarized changes to benefit and operating lines: final health‑insurance rates came in below an initial placeholder estimate (5.72% increase for health, 5.19% for dental versus earlier conservative placeholders), producing a projected net savings to the budget of about $7,516. Staff said travel and training lines were combined into a single line and that utility, gas and oil estimates were adjusted to reflect historical usage.
Staff flagged several project‑level items. For the new town rental units at the Thomas property, staff included a conservative $30,000 estimate for maintenance and utility costs in FY26; occupancy is not expected before June, and any tenant payments would offset some costs. Public works requested a small tractor with a V‑plow and sidewalk attachments (presented as approximately $25,000) so crews can clear sidewalks during heavy snow and use the machine for summer infield work at Heinz Field; staff said the town has improvised in prior winters and the older equipment is no longer usable.
Officials discussed the landfill slope and a condition from the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) permitting process that will require ongoing funding toward eventual slope repairs. Staff said the town holds roughly $66,000 of prior‑year funding for the landfill slope and recommended treating future contributions like a sinking fund until a repair scope is finalized; they noted annual contributions could be on the order of tens of thousands depending on final design.
Public‑works staff also described operational lessons from last year’s new mansion beach restroom unit: frequent pumpouts and an added battery/solar panel solved early reliability issues; weekly pumpouts became routine. Cemetery maintenance was moved into a new budget line to separate those costs from general grounds maintenance. Staff reported recurring problems with abandoned cars and boats on town and state property and said the town and harbor department coordinate removals; the state’s abandoned boat program may be used for uninsured sunken vessels.
Budget schedule notes: the council held the public hearing, and staff reminded the board that town‑council adoption is scheduled for Wednesday, April 9. The council opened and closed the hearing by voice vote and subsequently adjourned the meeting.
